Bathing suit



June 21, 193 2. (5. E. RUTLEDGE BATHING SUIT "minimum mumMinimum" Humming Filed Sept. 21, 1931 E r 6 km 3 [a a E m 6 Patented June 21, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE E. BUTLEDGE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T VASSAR SWISS UNDER- WEAR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS which they allow the wearer.

BATHING SUIT Application filed September 21, 1931. Serial No. 564,091.

This invention relates to bathing suits and concerns itself particularly with bathing garments formed of knitted textile fibre yarn. Such bathing garments have met with wide popularity largely because of their close fitting properties and because of the comfort However, regardless of the exercise of lit-- most care and skill in designing, the ordinary knit bathing garment possesses a number of undesirable characteristics among which might be mentioned that relating to sagging of the garment at the waist line. Such sagging produces an untidy appearance not in keeping with the trimnesswhich is so desirable, and a great many wearers have resorted to the use of buckled belts and the like for the sole purpose of preventing orconcealing this waist line sagging.

Also, the ordinary knitted bathing garment does not permit of a close comfortable fit at the crotch. If the garment fits closely and comfortably at the crotch when first Worn it later tends tosag at this point as the material becomes stretched.

Again, in the ordinary bathing garment formed of knitted textile fibre, the lower circumferential edges of the skirt portion and leg portions tend to sag after only a relatively short period of use.

It is a general object of this invention to provide a bathing garment which will allow utmost freedom of body movement and which will fit closely and snugly at all points, but which does not have the undesirable characteristics of the ordinary knitted bathing garment as set forth above. A general purpose of the invention is the provision of a bathing garment permitting free body movement and fitting the wearers body closely throughout, but which will not sag at the waist line, crotch or lower circumferential extremities after an amount of wear and use suflicient to stretch ordinary knitted material.

A more specific object is the provision of a bathing garment of such desirable characteristics which will not be unsightly but which will set off the wearers figure clearly and with grace.

It is also an object to provide a bathing garment of such characteristics which does not embody the use of hems or gathers which would have an uncomfortable frictional or binding action on the wearer.

In the drawing, which is illustrative of the invention, Fig. 1 is a front view of a bathing suit made in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same bathing suit; and 4 Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the waist band and adjacent integrally knit bodice and skirt portions of the bathing garment.

Referring to the drawing, numeral 2 designates generally abathing garment having a bodice portion 4, a skirt portion 6 and trunks 8. A waist band 10 extends circumferentially about the waist and is of appreciable width as shown. At the lower extremity of the skirt portion 6 is a circumferentially extending band of material 12.

The bodice portion 4 and the skirt portion 6 are formed of any desired textile fibre yarn such as silk, cotton, wool or mixtures thereof, knitted in any of the stitches ordinarily used in the manufacture of bathing suits. The bands 10 and 12 are knitted from a composite rubber yarn comprising an elastic rubber core or center which is provided with a covering of textile fibre. Preferably the rubber yarn comprises an elastic rubber core which has a first covering of textile fibre yarn wound helically in one direction and a second superposed covering of textile fibre yarn wound helically in opposed direction.

The fronts of the bodice portion 4;, waist band 10, skirt portion 6, and band 12 are all integrally knitted into one piece, as are their backs. In the manufacture of these front and back pieces the front of the bodice portion 4 is, for example, knitted first, the knitting operation beginning at the top, if desired, and continuing until the waist band 10 is reached. At this point the ordinary textile fibre yarn used for making bodice portion 4 is thrown out and the composite rubber yarn above described is thrown in, this composite rubber yarn entering the loops of ordinary fibre yarn formed at the lower edge of the front piece of the bodice portion. When a sufiicient number of courses of the composite rubber yarn have been run to produce the front of the waist band 10 of desired width, the ordinary fibre yarn is again thrown in thereby to produce the front skirt portion 6. At the lower extremity of skirt portion 6, the usual fibre yarn is again substituted by the composite rubber yarn so as to produce the front of band 12. The fronts of bodice portion 4, waist band 10, skirt portion 6 and band 12 therefore form one integral piece and are made in one continuous knitting operation. The backs are also integrally formed in the same way.

The composite front and the composite back thus formed are. joined together at their side edges by lines of stitching 14 and 16 running lengthwise from top to bottom.

The shoulder straps are formed of a number of bands of material secured to the upper edges of the bodice portions. Band 18 is secured by stitching to the right hand side of the V-back of the bodice portion, passes across the right shoulder, is sewed to the upper transverseedge of the front of bodice portion 4, passes over the left shoulder, and is sewn to the left hand side of the V-neck,

.joining itself to form a closed loop. Bands 20 and 22 also form closed loops. They are sewed to band 18 over the shoulders, and to the side top edges of bodice portion 4. These bands 18, 20, and 22 are formed of material knitted from a composite rubber yarn such as that from which bands 10 and 12 are formed.

The main portion of trunks 8 is also formed of textile fibre knitted material and has its upper circumferential edge sewed to the inside of the skirt portion 6 at its upper edge which adjoins band 10. The lower circumferential extremities of the leg portions of the trunks constitute bands 24 and 26 which are knitted integrally with the trunks proper, of the composite rubber yarn described above. The bands 24 and 26 are knitted with the trunks in one continuous knitting operation.

Inasmuch as the waist band 10 is formed of yarn which possesses a high degree of elasticity, this band will fit the wearers waist very snugly and cause the lower part of the bodice portion 4 to also fit very snugly. However, it will be so resilient that it will not be uncomfortable and will in no wise restrict the wearers body movements. Since it is integral with the bodice portion and the skirt portion it will give a smooth fit so as to present a neat and trim appearance. Moreover, it will not bind or unduly rub the wearer. Again, it will not cause the garment to gather or form wrinkles.

The bands 12, 24 and 26 will also present a neat trim appearance and will prevent any sagging of the skirt or extremities of the trunks. Bands 18, 20 and 22 are also elastic and cause the top edges of the bodice portion to fit snugly throughout. Also, the elasticity of those portions of these bands forming the shoulder straps insures a proper and comfortable fit at the crotch.-

While the bands 10, 12, 18, 20, 22, 24 and 26 have been described as made from knitted composite elastic rubber yarn, it is often desirable to incorporate with such yarn a lating yarn in order to get various color e ects. If desired the plating yarn may be arranged to hide the composite rubber yarn completely or-form designswith it. The plating yarn may be of any desired textile fibre. The incorporation of the plating yarn with the com! posite rubber body yarn may result in a tendency to reduce somewhat the elasticity of the band being formed in the direction of the wales but this may be overcome in the knitting operation by the use of suitable friction or tensioning means applied to the rubber body yarn to cause the stitches made of this yarn to be drawn more tightly than the stitches made of the plating yarn. Thus, the plating yarn stitches are relatively looser than the body yarn stitches so that the elasticity of the band in the direction of the wales is not impaired by the incorporation of a relatively inelastic plating yarn.

A bathing suit made in accordance with the invention will fit comfortably and snugly without slipping or sagging. It is especially suited for calisthenics and requires no buttons or other fastening means.

The integral waist band avoids necessity of a separate belt, eliminates binding, and presents'a smooth surface to give a neat appearance. The integral elastic band at the bottom of the skirt prevents it from pulling up, but is not unsightly.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a knitted bathing suit, a bodice portion, a skirt portion, an elastic band formed of knitted rubber yarn joining said portions and integrally knitted therewith, a second integrally knitted elastic band secured to the lower circumferential edge of said skirt portion, and trunks having leg portions Whose lower circumferential extremities are each provided with integrally knitted elastic bands, said elastic bands being more elastic than said skirt and bodice portions and trunks.

2. A bathing suit comprising a bodice portion formed of knitted textile fibre yarn, a nether portion formed of knitted textile fibre yarn, and an endless band portion formed of knitted rubber yarn and being more elastic than said bodice and nether portions, said band portion being integrally knitted with adjacent bodice and nether portions.

3. A one piece bathing suit comprising a bodice portion formed of knitted textile fibre yarn, a skirt portion formed of knitted textile fibre yarn, an endless band portion formed of knitted rubber yarn and being tions, adjacent parts of said more elastic than said bodice and nether porortions being integrally knitted together and forming continuous bodice and skirt portions, and a trunk portion permanently secured thereto adjacent the waist.

4. A one piece bathin suit comprisin a bodice portion formed ofknitted textile fibre yarn, a skirt portion formed of knitted textile fibre am, an endless band portion formed of itted rubber yarn permanently connecting the skirt and bodice portions, and

an endless circumferential band portion of knitted rubber yarn disposed at the lower edge of said skirt portion, the adjacent parts of the aforesaid portions being integrally knitted together.

In'witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day 0% September, 1931.

GEORGE E. RUTLEDGE. 

